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1. What is the Council / Manager Plan?

The council-manager plan is a form of government developed in the United States to help communities to overcome weaknesses in local government structure, and to cope with increasingly difficult and complicated urban problems, by providing for an executive appointed by and continuously responsible to a popularly elected council. In little more than half a century, it has become the most popular form of local government in the United States, and is regarded as the greatest American contribution to the improvement of government.

2. Why is it called the “Council / Manager Plan” rather than the “Manager Plan”?

To make clear and to emphasize the fact that all real power is in the City Council; the City Manager has responsibility, not independent power.

Mayor and City Council

3. How does it differ from other forms of government?

The most important difference is that it provides City Council the opportunity to select an extremely strong City Manager based on his/her training, knowledge and experience rather than his/her political popularity that can in turn recruit a highly professional administrative staff.

Mayor and City Council

4. In what ways is the City Council so “extremely strong”?

It is stronger than any other form of government because it not only determines policy by adopting budgets and levying taxes, as all City Councils do, but also, and especially because, it hires and oversees a City Manager as chief administrative office to carry out its programs.

Mayor and City Council

5. What are the City Manager’s powers?

His so-called “powers” are really responsibilities. He appoints department heads, serves as the City Council’s chief advisor, prepares the budget for the City Council’s consideration, and brings to the city the significant element of professional knowledge of municipal administration. Mayor and City Council

6. How and to what extent does the City Manager participate in policy determination?

The City Manager makes recommendations to the City Council on many matters, which require Council action, but his opinions and recommendations are seldom released to newspapers in advance of Council consideration. The City Council may or may not adopt his recommendations and may change or modify them. The City Manager is bound by whatever action the Council takes. When the City Council has acted affirmatively on a policy or program, the City Manager, as an administrative duty, may join the Council in communicating and “selling” the policy to the Community. Mayor and City Council